Ryan Garcia will reportedly be fighting an exhibition match against Jaber Zayani in Dubai in January, which must be seen as a clever way to circumvent his one-year suspension. There’s no word on how big a paycheck Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) will be getting for this exhibition, but it has to be a nice one for him to sign on.
The 34-year-old Zayani (18-0, 11 KOs) is a native of France who competes at lightweight. His fights have gone under the radar of fans.
Ryan Finds a Way Around Suspension
We knew Ryan would find a way to maneuver around his one-year suspension handed down by the New York State Athletic Commission. Boxing is a global sport, and there’s no way that any State Commission can keep a popular fighter like Ryan from finding steady work to continue to bring in millions by the truckload. He’s too popular.
Since it’s an exhibition, the Commissions are powerless to intervene. It doesn’t count on Ryan’s record, and it’s being staged outside of the U.S. in Dubai. Devin Haney can’t be too happy about the news of Ryan Garcia’s exhibition match because he’s suing him for battery for their fight last April.
Last weekend, Ryan’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, told the media that there would be NO rematch with Haney. They want a fight with Teofimo Lopez after his suspension expires on April 20th. If this is a permanent rejection of a rematch with Haney, that’s bad luck for him and Bill. You have to believe the lawsuit had something to do with Ryan’s stance about not giving Devin a second fight.
With the dough the Haney’s could have made in a rematch with Ryan, they could have moved to the Platinum Triangle in Los Angeles and purchased a beautiful mansion in one of these upscale areas:
– Beverly Hills
– Bel Air
– Holmby Hills: *Where Diddy used to live
If he were Ryan were to beat Haney to the ring and make some good coin, you can imagine how he and his dad, Bill Haney, would be green with envy.
There’s still no word yet when Haney will return to the ring, but based on the photo he posted on Instagram, it could be soon. Haney looks like he’s weighing in the neighborhood of 165, and it won’t be easy for him to drain down to 140 if he chooses to return to that division.
Ryan’s is currently suspended until April 20th, 2025. The New York State Athletic Commission handed down the suspension after Ryan’s positive PED test for Ostarine after his win over Haney.
🚨 Ryan Garcia Returns! Exhibition Match vs. Undefeated Jaber Zayani (18-0) Set for January 2025 ‼️🔥 #Boxing #RyanGarcia pic.twitter.com/rVGfiQVlmn
— Ringside promotions (@Ringsidepromo) November 4, 2024
